Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to minimise disruption on the rail network in periods of extreme snow and cold weather.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Department officials hold regular discussions with Network Rail and the industry to ensure severe weather preparedness plans are in place with clear mitigations to reduce the impacts of weather on the rail network. The industry’s winter preparedness regime begins in September each year.

Special trains and equipment are fully checked and any repairs carried out, while contingency plans are reviewed and agreed with train operators to keep passengers moving during adverse weather. Network Rail use detailed forecasts from weather experts, MetDesk, to formulate local action plans during adverse weather to minimise disruption to journeys. These forecasts cover not just the weather but how the conditions will impact on specific railway infrastructure such as the tracks, conductor rails, and overhead power lines.

A network of hundreds of monitoring stations also provides real-time weather data, enabling Network Rail to respond to conditions as they develop in real time. In extreme weather conditions, Network Rail and train operators prioritise getting passengers home safely over running the normal timetable. It also prioritises vital rail freight to ensure the supply of essential goods across the country and fuel to power stations.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how migration data is shared with the Office for National Statistics to inform population estimates.

Answered by Josh Simons - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 7th January is attached.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the accuracy of population estimates derived from the 2021 Census.

Answered by Josh Simons - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 7th January is attached.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the new 40% first year allowance for for main-rate plant and machinery on the level of regional investment and economic growth.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The government has introduced a new 40% first-year allowance (FYA) from 1 January 2026. This is a permanent new feature of the capital allowance regime. This new FYA will allow businesses to deduct much of the cost of their investment in the year they make that investment and lower their tax bill. Crucially, this FYA will be available for assets bought for leasing and for unincorporated businesses which do not benefit from full expensing, increasing the amount of relief that can be claimed in the year of investment.

For future investment, the present value and cost of capital for businesses that claim the new FYA remains broadly the same when considered alongside the changes to writing down allowances also announced at Budget. The expected impacts of this measure and planned monitoring are set out on gov.uk:

Capital allowances: new first-year allowance and reducing main rate writing-down allowances - GOV.UK

This policy is UK-wide and so businesses across all regions of the UK can claim this allowance. We are attracting international investors to opportunities across the country, with the £10 billion of investment commitments announced at our recent Regional Investment Summit.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to answer 98955 of 16 December 2025 on Child Benefit, how many of the 7,781 enquiries which remained open have since been addressed; and what the outcomes were.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

In total, of the 23,794 enquiries opened, 1,109 have been determined non-compliant. 5,637 remain open.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to address inconsistencies between police forces in their interpretation and application of escort requirements for lawful abnormal load movements.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The police are best placed to determine police escort requirements for abnormal loads, based on a thorough assessment of local risk, which can include consideration of the risks to road users and the potential for congestion. A decision should take account of the force’s local geography, traffic conditions and events taking place. Forces should take account of the National Police Chiefs’ Council guidance to ensure decisions are safe, practical and effective.

The National Police Chiefs’ Council Guidance on the management of abnormal loads was last updated in May 2025. It sets out consistent principles to guide force’s decision based on local circumstances.

There are no plans to introduce a national regulatory framework governing the movement of abnormal loads. The government is satisfied that decisions are best handled by individual police forces to ensure decisions reflect local conditions.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to introduce a national regulatory framework governing when police forces may require escorts for abnormal load movements.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The police are best placed to determine police escort requirements for abnormal loads, based on a thorough assessment of local risk, which can include consideration of the risks to road users and the potential for congestion. A decision should take account of the force’s local geography, traffic conditions and events taking place. Forces should take account of the National Police Chiefs’ Council guidance to ensure decisions are safe, practical and effective.

The National Police Chiefs’ Council Guidance on the management of abnormal loads was last updated in May 2025. It sets out consistent principles to guide force’s decision based on local circumstances.

There are no plans to introduce a national regulatory framework governing the movement of abnormal loads. The government is satisfied that decisions are best handled by individual police forces to ensure decisions reflect local conditions.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what metrics her Department will use to evaluate the success of the new first-year allowance in stimulating growth and productivity.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The government has introduced a new 40% first-year allowance (FYA) from 1 January 2026. This is a permanent new feature of the capital allowance regime. This new FYA will allow businesses to deduct much of the cost of their investment in the year they make that investment and lower their tax bill. Crucially, this FYA will be available for assets bought for leasing and for unincorporated businesses which do not benefit from full expensing, increasing the amount of relief that can be claimed in the year of investment.

For future investment, the present value and cost of capital for businesses that claim the new FYA remains broadly the same when considered alongside the changes to writing down allowances also announced at Budget. The expected impacts of this measure and planned monitoring are set out on gov.uk:

Capital allowances: new first-year allowance and reducing main rate writing-down allowances - GOV.UK

This policy is UK-wide and so businesses across all regions of the UK can claim this allowance. We are attracting international investors to opportunities across the country, with the £10 billion of investment commitments announced at our recent Regional Investment Summit.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how funding for undercover online policing units will be distributed; and what outcomes each unit is expected to deliver.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

Undercover Online Police Officers (UCOLs) deploy online to identify and pursue offenders seeking to sexually exploit children. Using unique capabilities and covert tactics to target dangerous offenders, UCOLs focus on a range of offences including grooming, peer-to-peer offending, live streaming, contact offences and historic or current familial offending.

The UCOL Network has achieved continued success, surpassing its targeted annual outcomes for operational activity and responding to emerging threats, including the proliferation of AI-generated child sexual abuse material.

Given the UCOLs’ continued success in disrupting online child sexual abuse, the Home Office has invested £11.7m in this capability this past FY 2025/26. The government has also committed to expand the use of the Home Office’s network of Undercover Online Operatives to address Violence Against Women and Girls in its’ “Freedom from Violence and Abuse: a cross-government strategy to build a safer society for women and girls”, published on 18th December 2025.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of whether disabled parking provision at NHS and primary care premises is adequate to meet patient demand.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

No national assessment he has made of whether disabled parking provision at National Health Service and primary care premises is adequate to meet patient demand.

Disabled parking provision on the public sector estate is mandated through national planning rules, and all NHS facilities must meet the requirements.

NHS organisations decide how they provide parking locally, based on the needs of patients, visitors, and staff, as well as environmental factors. The NHS car parking guidance requires free parking to be provided for four groups: disabled people; frequent outpatient attenders; parents of sick children staying overnight; and staff working night shifts. Further information is avaiable at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nhs-patient-visitor-and-staff-car-parking-principles/nhs-patient-visitor-and-staff-car-parking-principles

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps are being taken to ensure that families of babies identified as deaf through the newborn hearing screening programme receive timely and appropriate support from birth.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Newborn babies whose hearing screening suggests they may have deafness and hearing impairment are referred for an audiological assessment within four weeks.

A family centred approach underpins all recall processes to prioritise clear communication and support for families, ensuring transparency and minimizing harm. Working with the National Deaf Children’s Society, a range of communications have been developed with families to help support families of babies and children who are deaf or have hearing loss.

My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, commissioned the recently published, independent Kingdon review that includes a number of recommendations on how children’s hearing services need to be improved.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will make it his policy to ensure that monies raised in a geographic are ringfenced for spending in that area in the event of local government reorganisation.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The proposals set out in the Fair Funding Review will ensure local government funding delivers the best value for money for taxpayers and sees funding go to the places that need it most. It will be for new authorities to decide how spending is allocated within their areas.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to help increase the availability of driving tests at Preston test centre.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) main priority is upholding road safety standards while it works hard to reduce car practical driving test waiting times. The agency is intensifying its efforts to reduce waiting times and improve access to driving tests that will break down barriers to opportunity as part of the government’s Plan for Change.

In the coming months, DVSA will:

• Change the booking service to allow only learner car drivers to book and manage their tests
• Introduce a limit on the number of times a learner car driver can move or swap a test to twice and also limit the area they can move a test to once booked.
• Make use of MOD driving examiners for up to 12 months to help tackle driving test waiting times.

DVSA is continuing with recruitment campaigns across the country, including for Preston driving test centre, to provide as many tests as possible. One new entrant driving examiner is currently awaiting checks and will be placed on a training course as soon as possible. An additional new entrant driving examiner is currently undertaking training, upon successful completion, the new entrant will be joining Preston from February.

A full-time driving examiner can be expected to add approximately 1,200 tests per year to the booking system.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what correspondence the Government has had with the Information Commissioner's Office on the data sharing pilot between HMRC and the Home Office.

Answered by Josh Simons - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

In October 2025, the ICO Review Board observer submitted an inquiry to the DEA Secretariat regarding a news article pertaining to a data sharing arrangement between HMRC and the Home Office.

The DEA Secretariat subsequently contacted HMRC, who forwarded it to the ICO observer.

The minutes from the DEA Debt and Fraud Review Boards are also routinely published on GOV.UK.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the adequacy of regulations on the broadcast or online circulation of footage from fatal accident scenes.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Ofcom is required by legislation to enforce a Broadcasting Code to protect television audiences from harmful material and against unwarranted infringements of privacy. Broadcasters should not take or broadcast footage of people caught up in emergencies, victims of accidents or those suffering a personal tragedy, even in a public place, where that results in an infringement of privacy, unless it is warranted or the people concerned have given consent.

Where someone shares material via social media that is grossly offensive, indecent, or otherwise unlawful, this may constitute a criminal offence. Anybody who carries out this action could be liable to prosecution through the Courts. Under the Online Safety Act, services must establish adequate systems and processes to prevent illegal content, including material that is grossly offensive or indecent, from appearing and remove it if it does.

The Government continues to monitor these issues closely and consider whether further interventions are necessary to protect victims and uphold public safety.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many members of the Civil Service Pension Scheme are awaiting retirement quotations or commencement of pension payments beyond expected timescales.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

The administration transferred to Capita on 1 December 2025 and the first payroll ran successfully in the same month.

At this time Capita has not provided this information to the Cabinet Office. The focus is on working with the Cabinet Office in order to resolve queries and delays and to move to a stable service as quickly as possible.

We acknowledge and recognise that there are delays and are working closely with Capita in order to move to the expected service levels as quickly as possible. This includes providing additional support to Capita, increasing staffing by c50% over and above the number that transferred from MyCSP. It is also prioritising urgent cases.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of variations between GP surgeries in the provision of basic clinical procedures, including suture removal.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Local enhanced services, such as suture removal, are negotiated and agreed locally, and are commissioned by integrated care boards (ICBs) to fit the needs of the local population. General practices can choose whether or not they would like to participate in directly providing these services. These services can vary in scope and funding across the country.

ICBs are responsible for commissioning health care services within their regions. This includes ensuring service providers are able to meet the reasonable needs of their patient population.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the press release entitled Child Benefit action to save £350 million from claimants abroad, published on 22 August 2025, and to the correspondence from the Chief Executive and First Permanent Secretary of the Treasury to the Chair of the Treasury Committee of 14 November 2025, if she will make a revised estimate of the potential impact of the Government’s policies on tackling benefit fraud on the cost to the public purse of child benefit.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The projected savings for the residency compliance work are a component of a wider measure announced at Autumn Budget 24 and forms part of the overall forecast for Child Benefit expenditure. The estimate of £350 million over five years for the total saving from this measure will be reviewed and updated as part of a future fiscal event in the usual way and as more data becomes available.

From the c. 23,500 cases, 5,367 enquiries remained open on 31 December 2025. HMRC expects to have concluded these by the end of February 2026.

Resources used to review cases opened between August and October 2025 are those which are already allocated to this exercise through the funding announced at Autumn Budget 2024.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 13 January 2025 to Question 103948 on Child Benefit: Fraud, if she will make an estimate of the cost to her Department of time spent reviewing old cases.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The projected savings for the residency compliance work are a component of a wider measure announced at Autumn Budget 24 and forms part of the overall forecast for Child Benefit expenditure. The estimate of £350 million over five years for the total saving from this measure will be reviewed and updated as part of a future fiscal event in the usual way and as more data becomes available.

From the c. 23,500 cases, 5,367 enquiries remained open on 31 December 2025. HMRC expects to have concluded these by the end of February 2026.

Resources used to review cases opened between August and October 2025 are those which are already allocated to this exercise through the funding announced at Autumn Budget 2024.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 13 January 2025 to Question 103948 on Child Benefit: Fraud, when she estimates the c 23,500 cohort will have been fully reviewed.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The projected savings for the residency compliance work are a component of a wider measure announced at Autumn Budget 24 and forms part of the overall forecast for Child Benefit expenditure. The estimate of £350 million over five years for the total saving from this measure will be reviewed and updated as part of a future fiscal event in the usual way and as more data becomes available.

From the c. 23,500 cases, 5,367 enquiries remained open on 31 December 2025. HMRC expects to have concluded these by the end of February 2026.

Resources used to review cases opened between August and October 2025 are those which are already allocated to this exercise through the funding announced at Autumn Budget 2024.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to help protect the privacy of people affected by fatal or serious accidents.

Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

The Government is committed to open justice which means criminal justice should be administered in public and subject to public scrutiny including media reporting. However, there are exceptions in statute or common law which: exclude the press/public from court for all/part of proceedings; permit information to be withheld from open court; or impose temporary/permanent bans on reporting of proceedings or part of proceedings (e.g. identity of those appearing).

Automatic reporting restrictions are applied to complainants in rape cases and all other sexual offences. There is a ban on reporting any matter that would identify a child or young person (under 18) in the Youth Court, whether that is a victim, witness or defendant. Victims of Female Genital Mutilation, Human Trafficking, and Forced Marriage are also granted automatic anonymity for life.

Lifetime anonymity can be granted to an adult witness or victim in any offence if the quality of the witness’s evidence or their co-operation is likely to be diminished by reason of fear/distress in testifying.

Reporting restrictions are a matter for judicial discretion - decisions on whether to impose these are made on a case by case basis by judges taking into account the circumstances of the case, the parties involved and the interests of justice.

In addition, the Victims’ Code is a practical and useful guide for all victims of crime to understand what they can expect from the criminal justice system. This includes victims of fatal or serious accidents where they constitute a criminal offence. We will consult on a new Victims’ Code in due course to ensure that we get the foundations for victims right.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department has had recent discussions with social media companies on the rapid removal of graphic or traumatic content depicting serious injury or death.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

DSIT has regular discussions with social media companies about a number of online safety matters, including tackling harmful content.

The Online Safety Act gives social media platforms duties to protect their users from harmful content. Under the regulatory regime, platforms must swiftly remove illegal content, including illegal content which depicts serious violence or injury.

Services likely to be accessed by children must put in place age-appropriate protections from violent content, and ensure they have accessible reporting mechanisms in place for parents and children.

Service providers must assess risks and design services to be safe. Ofcom has powers to investigate compliance and can take enforcement action where necessary.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to ensure that (a) elderly people and (b) people without access to the internet are able to access their consultation on mandatory eye testing for older drivers.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

We published the consultation on GOV.UK as a web page (HTML). This format allows people to resize the consultation text in their browser.

People can write to us or contact us at mandatoryeyesighttestingconsultation@dft.gov.uk to request the consultation in alternative formats, including a printed hard copy.

A BSL version will be made available.

Those without the internet can request a printed hard copy or mail in a printed copy and can write to us at:

Road Safety Division
Department for Transport
33 Horseferry Road
London, SW1P 4DR
United Kingdom

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the workloads of prison officers in the North West.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

Staffing models in public sector prisons and associated staffing numbers, are reviewed on a routine basis to take account of business changes that may impact on the workload of staff.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support the recovery of Sri Lanka from Cyclone Ditwah.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK Government is deeply concerned about the extensive damage and distress caused by Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka. The British High Commissioner in Colombo has been in regular contact with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Disaster Management Centre, and the UN Resident Coordinator to monitor the situation and understand emerging needs.

We have allocated £1 million of humanitarian support through the Red Cross, UN partners and civil society organisations to support immediate humanitarian assistance.

The UK is tracking the situation closely and remains in regular contact with the Sri Lankan authorities and humanitarian partners.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how frequently academy trusts will be inspected; and whether inspection frequency will vary according to previous performance.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The government has tabled an amendment to the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill to bring in multi-academy trust inspections. Multi-academy trust inspections will raise standards and enable sharing of best trust-level practice, as well as incentivising and supporting improvement efforts across the sector.

The government intends to specify the intervals for routine trust inspections in secondary legislation, after working closely with Ofsted and the sector to determine what an appropriate period of time would be.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many defendants in each of the last five years have completed unpaid work as part of a sentence later overturned on appeal.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

The table below sets out number of individuals with sentences that terminated in the calendar years between 2021 and 2025, and where there was Unpaid Work completed as part of the sentence itself recorded as having been terminated due to being overturned on appeal:

These data have been gathered from National Delius (the Probation Service case management system).

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, on what date (i) HMRC and (ii) ministers in her Department were notified of child benefit claimants incorrectly having benefits stopped due to data sharing with the Home Office.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

HMRC use international travel data and other checks to help tackle Child Benefit error and fraud, which is expected to save around £350 million over the next five years.

As HMRC scaled up the work through September and into October 2025, it came to HMRC’s attention in mid-October that the removal of the PAYE check had resulted in some customers being incorrectly included in the compliance campaign. HMRC took swift action to reinstate the PAYE check and apply it retrospectively, including no longer suspending payments at the outset of their enquiries. After understanding the issues, HMRC notified Treasury ministers in late October and have kept them fully informed throughout since.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of the potential economic impact of decisions businesses have made on the basis of the announcement of compulsory digital ID on 26 September 2025 and 13 January 2026.

Answered by Josh Simons - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Development of the policy underpinning the national digital credential is ongoing.

We are inviting the public to have their say, including business stakeholders, in the upcoming consultation as we develop a safe, secure, and inclusive system for the UK.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether an Equality Impact Assessment was carried out for the Application by Morgan Offshore Wind Limited and Morecambe Offshore Windfarm Limited for an Order Granting Development Consent for the Morgan and Morecambe Offshore Wind Farms Transmission Assets Project.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

A Public Sector Equality Duty Statement forms part of the application for the project, and is available from the Planning Inspectorates website. The Planning Inspectorate is currently finalising its Examination report for this case, which will be submitted on 29 January 2026 to the Secretary of State who then has three months to make the planning decision. All relevant considerations will be taken into account including any equality impacts.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, at what level was the decision made to remove the PAYE checks after the Child Benefit compliance pilot.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

As HMRC’s First Permanent Secretary explained to the Treasury Select Committee on 13 January, the PAYE check was removed to streamline the process at an operational level, with a view to employment status being tested as part of any subsequent customer enquiry.

The Department has apologised for removing the PAYE check and the impact on some of its customers of this change.

HMRC has taken swift action to reinstate the check, put things right for affected customers and make further improvements to the process. Lessons learned for the future include strengthening the governance from pilots to business as usual activities.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to ensure qualified drivers are aware of changes to the Highway Code.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

Injuries and fatalities from road collisions caused by driving are unacceptable, and this Government will work hard to prevent these tragedies for all road users.

That is why on 7 January 2026, we published our new Road Safety Strategy, setting out our vision for a safer future on our roads for all.

Following updates to the Highway Code in 2022, the department ran large- scale THINK! advertising campaigns to raise awareness of the changes.

Via the THINK! campaign, we are also running year-round radio filler adverts encouraging compliance with the guidance to improve safety for those walking, cycling and horse riding. We will also continue to promote the changes via THINK! and Department for Transport social media channels, as well as through partner organisations.

However, as set out in the strategy, more work is needed to continue embedding these changes and overall awareness of the Highway Code. We are considering options in this area, and further details will be shared in due course.

As our road environment and technologies evolve, providing education for all road users throughout their lifetime is vital to improving road safety. As announced in the strategy to support a Lifelong Learning approach in the UK, the government will publish for the first time national guidance on the development and delivery of road safety education, training and publicity. Alongside this, the government will publish a manual to support the implementation of a Lifelong Learning approach for road safety.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of current blue badge policy for people with Crohn's and Colitis.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Blue Badge scheme supports people with severe mobility issues, including those with non‑visible disabilities that cause very considerable difficulty walking or significant psychological distress during a journey.

The Government has already extended eligibility to people with non‑visible conditions, and local authorities assess applications on a case‑by‑case basis using medical evidence.

While symptoms of Crohn’s and Colitis can be serious, these conditions do not automatically confer entitlement; however, applicants whose mobility is substantially impaired because of their condition may still qualify following assessment by their local authority.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of restrictions on local councillors who are in debt to the authority they are a member of.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Provisions on the declaration and registration of councillor interests restrict them from participating in decisions where they may have a conflict of interest. Participating in a decision where there is a conflict of interest may be a breach of codes of conduct and potentially a criminal offence.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to help increase the availability of driving tests at Blackpool test centre.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) main priority is upholding road safety standards while it works hard to reduce car practical driving test waiting times. The agency is intensifying its efforts to reduce waiting times and improve access to driving tests that will break down barriers to opportunity as part of the government’s Plan for Change.

In the coming months, DVSA will:

• Change the booking service to allow only learner car drivers to book and manage their tests

• Introduce a limit on the number of times a learner car driver can move or swap a test to twice and also limit the area they can move a test to once booked.

• Make use of MOD driving examiners for up to 12 months to help tackle driving test waiting times.

DVSA is continuing with recruitment campaigns across the country, including for Blackpool driving test centre, to provide as many tests as possible.

Two new entrant driving examiners will be placed on a training course as soon as possible. Upon successful completion of training, this will increase the number of driving examiners at Blackpool driving test centre from seven to nine. A full-time driving examiner can be expected to add approximately 1,200 tests per year to the booking system.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the ability of people to sell tenanted properties in the case of inheritance.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

My Department has made no such assessment.

The Renters’ Rights Act introduces a new ground for landlords who wish to sell their property, Ground 1A. This enables landlords to evict a tenant when they wish to sell their property if it is not possible or appropriate to sell with a sitting tenant.

Some landlords may find it quicker and easier to sell with sitting tenants. We encourage them to do so when the circumstances are right.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the Property Redress Scheme in providing impartial and evidence-based dispute resolution for leaseholders and tenants.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to Question UIN 76613 and Question UIN 76612 on 16 October 2025.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the Bereavement Support Payment for non-married widows and widowers.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

Bereavement Support Payment is currently available to those who are married, in a cohabiting relationship with dependent children, or in a civil partnership. A marriage or civil partnership is a legal contract associated with certain rights, including entitlement to benefits derived from another person's National Insurance contributions such as Bereavement Support Payment. The Government keeps the eligibility of all benefits including Bereavement Support Payments, under review.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of trends in the level of water bills in Fylde constituency since July 2024.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

It is important that customers get value for money from their water bills and that support is available for those who need it. I meet water companies frequently to discuss a range of issues, including customer bills.

As the independent economic regulator, it is Ofwat’s responsibility to scrutinise water company business plans and ensure the prices water companies charge their customers are fair and proportionate. It does this through its Price Review, every five years. Ofwat published the results of the 2024 Price Review in December 2024, this sets out company expenditure and customer bills for the next five years, up to 2030. These price controls came into effect on 01 April 2025.

Price Review 2024 will deliver substantial improvements for customers and the environment through a £104 billion upgrade for the water sector - the highest level of investment in the water sector since privatisation. The average annual bill rise over the next 5 years will be £31 (or 36%). This will vary across households depending on their circumstances. Information on bills for each water company is available on Ofwat’s website.

All water companies have measures in place for customers who struggle to pay for their water and wastewater services, such as WaterSure, social tariffs, payment breaks and holidays, and debt management support. Moreover, Government expects industry to keep the current support schemes under review to ensure that vulnerable customers are supported.

The Government has committed to reforming the WaterSure support scheme which supports low-income households with high essential water use due to having a medical condition or three or more children living at home and has consulted on extending the list of qualifying benefits to include non-means tested disability benefits. This proposal is designed to provide better support for low-income households where a medical condition leads to high essential water use.

The proposed reforms would also increase support for existing households and update the regulations to reflect best practice adopted across the water sector. The department will publish the response to the consultation in the coming months.

Bill increases are necessary to make up for years of under-investment and make sure water companies can deliver a good service to customers and protect the environment.

The Government is also bringing forward root and branch reform to secure better outcomes for billpayers and restore trust and accountability. This includes the creation of a powerful new consolidated regulator, which will work to ensure water company bills are fair and affordable for customers. These reforms are detailed in the Government’s Water White Paper.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of taking legislative steps to require the (a) resignation, (b) retirement and (b) suspension of Chief Constables on performance grounds.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

As the Home Secretary said to the House on 14 January, when a Chief Constable is responsible for a damaging failure of leadership, the public rightly expect the Home Secretary to act.

This Government intends to restore their ability to do so and will soon reintroduce the Home Secretary’s power to dismiss Chief Constables.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the ability of vulnerable groups to participate in consultations on the Morgan and Morecambe offshore windfarm cabling route.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The applicant must carry out a consultation in compliance with the Planning Act 2008 as part of the pre-application procedure for any nationally significant infrastructure project such as this. Applicants, the Planning Inspectorate and the Secretary of State must also ensure compliance with the relevant secondary legislation made under the Planning Act 2008, and have regard to the requirements in the Equality Act 2010 (such as Section 149 ‘Public sector equality duty’), providing accessible engagement opportunities for potentially affected parties, including those in vulnerable groups.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's news story entitled Illegal working raids reach highest level in UK history, published on 13 January 2026, how much of the £5 million additional funding for Immigration Enforcement has been allocated to operations in the North West.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

The £5 million additional funding for Immigration Enforcement was provided to increase Illegal Working activity nationally and was not allocated regionally.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many illegal working enforcement raids were carried out in Lancashire between July 2024 and December 2025.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

To maintain the highest standards of accuracy, the Home Office prefers to refer to published data, as this has been subject to rigorous quality assurance under National Statistics protocols prior to publication.

Our published data on enforcement visits is available at: Immigration system statistics, year ending September 2025 - GOV.UK

Information about enforcement visits in Lancashire is not currently available in our published data.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what compensation is available to people whose property is damaged as a result of policing operations at neighbouring properties; or properties where suspects are not the legal owners.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

Where police have caused damage to property, for example by forcing entry, individuals may be able to claim compensation by raising a complaint or claim with the police force concerned, who will assess the claim in accordance with force policy.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the powers of law enforcement agencies to identify and investigate criminal activity conducted using VoIP services.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

Under the Investigatory Powers Act 2016, law enforcement agencies can apply for targeted interception warrants, equipment interference warrants, and communications data acquisition authorisations, all of which can enable access to data associated with VoIP services.

These powers can enable authorities to identify users, access metadata, and, where authorised, obtain content when necessary and proportionate and subject to satisfying the stringent safeguards within the legislation.

This means that law enforcement have a range of powers to identify and investigate criminal activity conducted using VoIP services. The Home Office keeps the effectiveness of these powers under review.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many recorded offences involving the use of VoIP services there have been in each of the last five years.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office collects and publishes data on the number of offences recorded by police forces in England and Wales which have been identified as having an online element. Offences involving the use of VoIP services are included but are not separately identifiable in the data held centrally.

This data can be found in table C5 of the Crime in England and Wales: Appendix tables here: Crime in England and Wales: Appendix tables - Office for National Statistics.

The definition of online crime within this data collection was revised in April 2024 to state that offences involving the use of VoIP services should be flagged to improve clarity and consistency in recording.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether any train operator has failed to meet its performance benchmarks since entering public ownership.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Since April 2025, all operators funded by the Department - both public and private - have failed at least one performance benchmark. Performance is measured on a four-weekly basis against ambitious and realistic targets. We expect train operators to work consistently towards meeting these targets and delivering good performance for passengers.

Recent data published by the Office for Road and Rail shows that reliability is higher for operators currently in public ownership under DfT Operator Ltd (DFTO) compared to private sector operators contracted by DfT.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the ability of vulnerable groups to access planning consultations.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Under the Equality Act 2010, all public bodies have a Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) to have due regard to certain equality considerations when exercising their functions, this includes public engagements such as planning consultations.

Planning consultations are carried out through a range of methods and local planning authorities are required to publish these on their website. Public authorities must make their website accessible and publish and keep updated an accessibility statement on their website.

The duty should always be applied in a proportionate way depending on the circumstances of the case and the seriousness of the potential equality impact.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to help prevent the misuse of VoIP services for scam and nuisance calls.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Tackling scam and nuisance calls are a priority for the Government, including via VoIP.

Unsolicited direct marketing calls are regulated by the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 and enforced by the Information Commissioner. Organisations must not make live marketing calls to a number that is registered on the Telephone Preference Service list or make automated marketing calls unless the recipient has specifically consented to receive them.

Government works closely industry and recently published the second Telecommunications Fraud Sector Charter, including actions to strengthen trust in voice communications. The Home Office will also publish its new Fraud Strategy with measures to prevent scam calls early this year.

Government also works closely with Ofcom who have a duty to protect consumers and a duty to ensure that UK numbers are not misused. Ofcom has made several changes in recent years, including since January 2025 under new rules by Ofcom operators have had to block calls from abroad which present as a UK numbers.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the average length of time of a GP appointment.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The General Practice Appointment Data (GPAD) records information on GP appointments, including the duration. Data regarding the length of appointments is only applicable when the appointment has been attended.

The latest GPAD release is available at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/appointments-in-general-practice/november-2025

Found: Dan Tomlinson, as Exchequer Secretary, wrote to Andrew Snowden MP and, in that written answer, gave

Found: Letter dated 20/01/2026 from Sir Ian Bauckham, Chief Regulator, to Andrew Snowden MP regarding a question

Found: Letter dated 20/01/2026 from Sir Ian Bauckham, Chief Regulator, Ofqual, to Andrew Snowden MP regarding

Found: Letter dated 16/01/2026 from Sir Ian Bauckham, Chief Regulator, to Andrew Snowden MP regarding a question